The Book Club
by DaLucaray
Summary: Pyrrha starts a book club. Unfortunately, Blake is the only one to show up. Pyrrha runs out of ideas and decides to take Blake into town. It spirals out of control from there.


"So… hello, miss Belladonna." Pyrrha said, polite as always. "What book did you bring to the book club?" The pale girl in question was sitting on the chair farthest from Pyrrha, her body language cold and her glare colder. The library was vast enough that despite the number of students studying there, there was no one but the two in the general vicinity.

"I brought 'The Thief and the Butcher.'" She replied. Pyrrha shifted a bit, taking a quick glance at the door. She had imagined more people would join the book club. Sadly her team hadn't been very helpful in the endeavor- Ren had to babysit Nora who was, well, Nora, and Jaune insisted on training with Professor Port. Pyrrha got the impression Port was more of an escape than an actual learning opportunity- Jaune had never before volunteered for after school work.

"What's it about?"

"A thief. And a butcher. In the end, it turns out it's the same dude, he's living a double life." Blake didn't look up.

"That's… interesting…" A silence fell between the two, and Bella picked her book back up. Somewhere else in the library a student coughed. "Why don't we, uh, go to a bookstore! We can find new books to read there…" Blake considered mentioning the fact they were in a library larger than some towns before realizing Pyrrha was trying to find something to do.

"Yes. Let's."

* * *

><p>"So, Blake, what's it like having a team?" Pyrrha asked. They had just entered town, and Tuckson's, the bookstore Pyrrha usually goes to, was a ways away.<p>

"Well, I'm really not used to having people have my back before. I mean, in the past, I've been…" she paused, considering her words for a moment. "On the same side as people, but it sometimes felt like I had to watch out for them as much as for my enemies. Ruby tries her hardest to help me with stuff, Yang is really affectionate, and I can tell deep down that Weiss really does care."

"I know what you mean. I've never really had equals before. Everyone either saw themselves as below me, or as a challenge, an obstacle. I don't want to brag, but when everyone talks about how great you are people get jealous. And then there are the people who want to just use me as a means to get power or popularity." People like Weiss, Pyrrha thought, although she knew better than to mention it to Blake.

"Is this Tuckson's?" Blake said, catching Pyrrha off guard.

"Uh, yeah."

"It doesn't look open."

"That's funny, he's usually in around this time. Oh well, I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"So now what?"

"I don't know. We're already in town, we may as well do something."

"Let's walk. We can find something to do, I'm sure." Pyrrha nodded and let Blake take lead. They strolled around town, passing by various stalls and shops.

"Hey, Dust Till Dawn is back up." Blake noted. She didn't use dust for Gambol Shroud, but Weiss had been bitching about having to import her dust for months.

"Look, a nail parlor!" Pyrrha sqee'd. "I've never gone to a nail parlor before!" Blake froze, her back to Pyrrha. She briefly looked at her hands, retracting her claws for a moment.

"Oh, uh, they're nothing special. I went to one once. It was boring. It's just and overpriced nail clipping anyway." She said cautiously, visions of a screaming black haired girl viciously clawing at a manicurist entering her head. Her team knowing she was a faunus was one thing, but she barely even knew Pyrrha, and she wasn't entirely sure she could trust her.

"Oh." Pyrrha said, sounding utterly deflated. "That's a shame. All the other girls back home made it sound like so much fun. Well, I guess we can find something else…" Bella winced. This sure was a fine pickle.

"Pyrrha, can I trust you?"

"What? Why wouldn't you?"

"Just tell me you can keep a secret."

"Alright."

"Do it."

"I can keep a secret." Blake grabbed Pyrrha by her shoulder and pulled her into an alleyway, making sure no one was paying attention. She pushed the redhead gently against a wall and sighed, unwrapping the bow on her head. She let it fall to the ground, avoiding eye contact with Pyrrha, who let out a small gasp.

"I...I see. If you don't mind me asking, why do you need to tell me this?" Rather than reply or even look up, Blake raised her hands, her claws unsheathed. Getting her nails done might be an issue when they're claws. "Oh." They both looked at the ground for a little while. This is it, Blake thought, she's just going to walk away. Why would she bother to deal with a something like this for someone she barely knows?

Before Blake could continue on this train of thought, she felt someone grab her wrist. Pyrrha was pulling her towards the parlor.

"If my friend being a faunus is going to be a problem with them, then THEY are going to have a problem with ME!"

"W-what?" Blake said, as much in surprise of this bold move as Pyrrha calling her a friend.

"You heard me. We're going in there and we're BOTH getting our nails done whether they like it or not. And we. Are going. To have. A good. Time." Every word Pyrrha said her conviction grew stronger, and Blake found herself very happy this girl was taking her side, as opposed to the opposite. Pyrrha slammed the door open. "I'd like two manicures please!" At this point Blake was too embarassed by the whole ordeal to do anything but look at the ground. The parlor had a lovely pink marble floor. It looked to have been waxed recently.

"Don't worry Blake, it's on me." Pyrrha walked up to the desk. "And if my friend being a faunus is any issue-"

"Oh don't worry ma'am, we don't judge." The woman behind the counter said, cheerily meeting Pyrrha's determined expression. The huntress immediately ginned.

"Great!"

* * *

><p>After a few minutes of getting her claws filed and clipped, Blake gathered the courage to look around her. She noticed a faunus woman working on her hands, but she couldn't tell what kind. Still, it was rather progressive of the parlor. To her left lay Pyrrha, who was smiling at the catgirl. She looked to her right and gasped.<p>

"You!"

"You!" It was the redhaired man from before, the one she had fought with Sun! Ruby had told her his name- Roman Something.

"What are you doing here?" she hissed, trying not to draw attention to herself.

"What does it look like kid, I'm getting my nails done!" Well, the cashier did say they didn't judge. Blake glared. The man sighed. "Look kitten, there's a time and place to fight, but not now. What do you say we call it a truce, at least for the time being?" Blake's stare was unwavering.

"Mr. Torchwick, your foot spa is ready!" One of the manicurists called.

"Well, gotta go Kitty, I do hope we'll meet again." Pyrrha looked over.

"Do you know him?"

"Yeah. We… met at the docks once."

"Oh, okay." The founder of Beacon Book Club focused back on the ceiling.

* * *

><p>"Well that was nice." Blake said shyly, averting her eyes from Pyrrha.<p>

"Yeah. We should really do some reading though. It is supposed to be a book club, after all."

"Right!" Blake briefly considered bringing up Ninjas of Love, but quickly stifled the thought. Before either student could come up with something book related to do, a man wedged himself between them and casually hung his arms over their shoulders. Pyrrha shrunk back, startled, and Blake slapped the interloper.

"Roman? Stop following us!"

"Ladies, ladies please. I told you, I'm not up for fisticuffs at the moment. I'd like to take you out drinking!"

"I-what?" Blake was stunned.

"I spend most of my time with a mute and the What Fang. Let me tell you, not the best conversation." Blake stared at him like he started speaking in tongues.

"I'd like to take up your offer Mr. Roman," Pyrrha grinned sheepishly "But we're minors. It's illegal for us to drink."

"Actually, it's only illegal to buy alcohol for minors. This may be a shock to you, but I'm not exactly buddy-buddy with the law."

"Well then I see no reason why not to!" Blake grabbed Pyrrha by her shoulder and pulled her into an alleyway. Roman raised an eyebrow.

"What are you, stupid? He's a criminal! He's with the White Fang! He's our enemy!"

"I assumed that much. He would be easier to apprehend when drunk, yes?"

"I mean…" For the second time in two minutes Blake was stunned. "Yes." She and Pyrrha left, each wearing the fake smile they've both practiced for a long time. "We'll take your offer. What's life without some excitement, after all?" Roman sighed in relief, leaning a bit on his cane. For a moment he stopped being a charismatically snarky villain- he was a tired man thrown around a criminal world bigger than him. Pyrrha's heart went out for him until he regained his composure and snapped back into a smooth criminal.

"Fantastic. Follow me, I know a great place." He strolled off, exuding charm.

"Now remember Blake, we're going to keep our composure. We wait for the time to strike. Tell him nothing important, nothing we wouldn't want everyone to know."

* * *

><p>"Holy fuck am I shitfaced. Tender, get me another!" Pyrrha managed to slur out. The grizzled bartender sighed and opened the third bottle. "Can I trust you guys not to spill the beans?" Blake and Roman nodded earnestly, one cross eyed and the other downing another shot. "There's this guy. I really like him. Nice guy, sees me for who I am, sweet ass, ancestral sword…" The redhead sneezed. "But he's so godfuck dense!"<p>

"Girl, you can do better." Roman affectionately put an arm around the girl. "You're beautiful! You could probably have anyone in this bar if you wanted. Even the bartender!"

"Please leave me out of this." Junior sighed.

"Y-you really think so?"

"Totally." Roman said, genuine as the day is long. Pyrrha hugged him

"Thanks man."

"No problem."

* * *

><p>"You've really never kissed a guy?" Blake asked. "I always kinda thought you had like a ton of-"<p>

"Nope." Pyrrha shook her head.

"Well, uh, wanna practice?"

"Y-yeah."

* * *

><p>"Hi Blake!"<p>

"Yang? What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

* * *

><p>Roman shouldered over to the bartender. "Junior, I'm not gay, but if I have a boner for you, it's REALLY trying right now." Junior decided then the money wasn't worth the dignity.<p>

* * *

><p>"Ladies, I had a great night." The words stumbled out of Roman's mouth like the trio from Junior's bar. Pyrrha nodded, to drunk to talk. Blake managed to get a few meows out. "I have to go back to my apartment though. See you later, maybe?" Pyrrha noticed she forgot how to stop nodding, but didn't really care.<p>

* * *

><p>Pyrrha blinked awake. She was in someone's bed, not her own. Someone was sitting on the windowsill looking at the sunrise.<p>

"Blake? Is that you?" Memories trickled back to Pyrrha. The book club, the spa, the criminal, events she will keep to her grave...

"Yeah." The two of them sat in silence for a moment. It was obvious Blake remembered them too.

"Wanna...wanna have Book Club again next we-?"

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Velvet, bookbag in hand, ran flustered into the library.<p>

"SORRY I'M LATE! We had a really long test and…" There was no one there. Oh well, the Book Club was probably pretty boring anyway.


End file.
